Hard Eight (1996)
86%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 8 nominations
An absorbing showcase for Philip Baker Hall, Paul Thomason Anderson’s feature debut is a gamble that pays off handsomely
Hard Eight is a movie about gambling, but it’s not a gamble to say that Philip Baker Hall’s performance is the real jackpot. He’s the glue that holds this movie together, and it’s clear that Paul Thomas Anderson wrote the script with him in mind. The rest of the cast, including Gwyneth Paltrow, also deliver solid performances, but Hall steals the show. The movie may not be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of noir and existentialism, it’s worth a roll of the dice. Just don’t expect any flashy special effects or over-the-top drama – this movie is all about the slow burn.
Production Company(ies)
Zentropa Entertainments, Film i Väst Zentropa International, Sweden
Distributor
Columbia Tristar
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Sparks, Nevada, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong language, some violence and sexuality
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 36m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 20, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 5, 1999
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Philip Baker Hall, John C Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L Jackson, F William Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, written by Paul Thomas Anderson, drama, R rating, box office gross $215.6K, reviewed by Christopher Hemblade, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Michael Wilmington, Richard T Jameson, Owen Gleiberman, Kevin McManus, Stephen Silver, Jonah Koslofsky, Mike Massie, Rachel Wagner, Stephen Hunter, Alan Jones
Worldwide gross: $222,559
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $414,868
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,784
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 45,242
US/Canada gross: $222,559
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $414,868
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,371
US/Canada opening weekend: $69,486
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $129,528
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,833
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5,592,243
Production budget ranking: 1,851
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,011,423
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$8,188,797
ROI to date (est.): -95%
ROI ranking: 1,996
John C. Reilly – John
Gwyneth Paltrow – Clementine
Samuel L. Jackson – Jimmy
F. William Parker – Hostage
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Young Craps Player
Director(s)
Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer(s)
Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer(s)
John S. Lyons, Robert Jones
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (9)
Just a soupcon of livelier drama would have improved the proceedings considerably.
July 17, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
Christopher Hemblade
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
This first feature by writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson is impressive for its lean and unblemished storytelling, but even more so for its performances.
July 17, 2020
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
It’s done with such intelligence and feeling, and such a brilliant cast, that it grips our attention from first shuffle to last bet.
July 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Hard Eight wouldn’t be the compelling story it is without Philip Baker Hall as its center of gravity and values. Anderson wrote the script with Baker in mind, and it’s about time somebody did.
April 11, 2018
Richard T. Jameson
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Gamblers live for the moment – for the next bet, the one that will take them over the top – and this gilt-edged noir contraption is an enjoyable wallow in life-is-a-craps-table existentialism.
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Anderson coaxes top-notch performances from the male leads and also from Gwyneth Paltrow.
January 22, 2002
Kevin McManus
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Showed a young filmmaker still finding his voice but showing much potential. (25th anniversary)
March 4, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen Silver
Tilt Magazine
We come to understand that Sydney is a living loose end, a vessel for his own regret, a man incapable of resolving the conflicts he’s created.
June 29, 2021
Jonah Koslofsky
The Spool
Hall is sensational; he’s naturally levelheaded and entirely believable as the unflappable father figure.
September 14, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
I didn’t like it. The whole thing seemed kind of smug to me
August 13, 2020
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
The film doesn’t rush, it’s not self-absorbed in the Tarantino fashion, it just clicks along relentlessly, picking up power, particularly as threats develop to Sid’s well-ordered view of the world.
July 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Stephen Hunter
Baltimore Sun
Despite the somewhat lethargic pace, this is a cool, sharply observed thriller that knows its own strengths and makes the most of them.
July 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Alan Jones
Radio Times…
Plot
John has lost all his money. He sits outside a diner in the desert when Sydney happens along, buys him coffee, then takes him to Reno and shows him how to get a free room without losing much money. Under Sydney’s fatherly tutelage, John becomes a successful small-time professional gambler, and all is well, until he falls for Clementine, a cocktail waitress and sometimes hooker.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Hard Eight.
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